New PIP alert to cause further confusion

There is "new evidence" say the NHS that 7,000 more women in the UK may be victims of the PIP scandal. The French had previously said only PIPs after 2001 may have been made with "unauthorised silicone", now they say PiPs before could also be effected.

This will not cause a big panic - because ANY women who has these sub-standard implants will already have been worried and feel they were victims of the scandal. What's more, all breast implants should be checked after a decade - so any PIP implanted before 2001 would be in that category.

It's worth mentioning that this is NOT "new evidence", for months now at ITV News we have been hearing about internal paperwork from PIP showing the dodgy gel could have been used for many years more. In fairness the NHS has never publically said (as far as I recall) that pre-2001 PIPs are "safe"...the date came only from the French. By the time the French authorities came up with that date most of the women directly involved had already decided they would take anything from that source with a pinch of salt.

The real worry is that it adds to the confusion for women going through a hellish time - and it will further knock confidence in the NHS and how it is handling this affair. Women need to know the authorities, in Britain and France, know what they are talking about...have got ALL the facts right. This latest episode reveals flaws in the advice they have given so far and will introduce new doubts about the future.